Fastener



June 25, 1940. E. B. LEAR 2,205,569

5 FASTENER I 2 Filed Deb. 2. 19:59

' L 6 I, /9 1 7. N I I v l7 2/ 22 /7 l8 v INVENTOR 4 I? Z EARL. 5. LEAKBY 9 K a L ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FASTENER.

Earl B. Lear, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to The ClevelandPneumatic Tool Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication December 2, 1939, Serial No. 307,313

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a fastener for temporarily holding togetherperforated plates or sheets in perforated alignment preparatory to theriveting thereof.

One object of this invention is to produce a fastener or temporary rivetwhich may be readily applied to and removed from the work, the'temporary rivet being constructed in a manner forming a simple assemblywhich is strong, durable and efficient.

Another object of this inventionis to produce a fastenercapable ofsecuring perforated metal sheets together in perfect perforatealigmnent.

Another object of' this invention is to produce such fastener especiallyapplicable for use in small perforations of about one-sixteenth of aninch, thei'astener being constructed in a manner enabling replacement ofthe delicate parts thereof without diflicuity.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoingreside in the specific.

construction and aggroupment of the elements peculiar to this structure,as will become apparent from a more complete examination of thisspecification.

In the drawing:

' Fig. l is a. side elevational view partly in section of the improvedfastener together with a portion of the tool with which the fastener isapplied to or removed from the work. In this view, the fastener is shownin the position assumed during the first step of its application to thework.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the position assumed bythe fastener during the second step of its application to the work.

a Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the fastener in operativeposition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken in a plane indicated byline 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a top plane view of the fastener looking in the direction ofthe arrows 5-5 in Fig. 2. Fig.- 6 is a cross sectional view taken in aplane vindicated by line 6-6 in Fig. 2.

Fig, '7 is a side elevational view partly in section of a modificationof the invention. v

Referring to the drawing in which like symbols designate correspondingparts throughout the several views, In designates achannel shaped memberincluding two substantially parallel side walls or plates II and I2rigidly connected to each other by a cross wall I3 extendinglongitudinally therebetween. In practice, the member I is preferablymade from .a strip of flat steel bent to the desired shape, and ofsufllcien't thickness to prevent flexing of the side walls II and I2.

Slidable through the two side walls II and I2, there is a rod l4 formedwith an integral head I normally located above the upper plate I2.

This rod is formed with a reduced portion I8 normally of circular crosssection of a diameter equal to that of the perforation Il formed throughthe work represented in the drawing by sheets I8 and I9. Intermediateits ends, the reduced portion I6 of the rod I4 is formed of oval shapedcross section resulting in a lateral projection or step 2| formed on therod I4 near the lower end thereof, which step is capable of engagementwith the lower sheet I8 as will be explained later, it being pointed tofacilitate its insertion into the perforations II. On the lower plate IIof the channel shaped member I0 rests a washer 23 provided with a finger24 depending therefrom and extending through the lower plate II alongthe reduced portion I6 of the rod I4. This finger is of a crescentshaped 'cross section 25 forming, with the oval shaped section 20 of therods portion I6 a perfect circle of a diameter equal to or slightlysmaller than that of the perforations I'l.

Resting on the washer 23, there is one end of a compression spring 26having its other end engaging the underside of the rods head I5, therebyacting between the channel shaped member I0 and the rod I4 forconstantly urging the lateral projection 2| toward the lower plate II ofthe member III. In practice, the plates II and I2, are spacedlongitudinally an extent greater than that of the length; of the finger24, while the spring 26 may be compressed against the head I5 of the-rodI4 to enable assembly of the device by inserting the finger 24 of thewasher 23 through the plate It and seating the washer 23 on the plate,thereby also enabling removal or replacement of the washer 23 withoutdifflculty. I

In the modification shown in Fig.-7, the spring I26 instead of extendingthrough the-upper plate I2 of the channel shaped member III, is limitedbetween the head II5 of the rod H4 and the plate I I, which head H5 ismade longer to extend below the upper plate I2, the construction beingotherwise identical to that shown in Fig. 1.

The fastener is applied to or removed from the work by using a plierliketool having a jaw 21 engageable with the underside of the upper plate I2and a jaw 28 engageable with the head I5 of the rod I4. Upon movement ofthe'two jaws toward each other, the rod I4 will be forced downwardlyrelative to the member Ill against the compression spring 26, therebycausing the lateral projection 2| to move axially relative to the finger24 of the washer 23, or in other words, causing the rod l4 to assume theposition shown in Fig. 1 relative to themember I0. In thisinsertion ofthe finger 24 into the perforations ll. Upon removal of the pressureexerted on the under side of the plate I! and on'the head l5 of the rod[4, the compression spring 26 active between the member ID and the rod[4 will cause upward movement of the rod relative to the member l0 andthe consequential engagement of the projection 2| with the underside ofthe lower sheet I8, while the side wall or plate ll of the member Inrests on the upper sheet l9, thereby resulting in the clamping of thework or sheets l8 and I9 between the side wall ll of the member I0 andthe projection 2| of the rod l4. In this instance, since the combinedcross section of the reduced portion I6 of the rod I4 and of the finger24 defines a circle of a diameter substantial to that of theperforations l I, the sheets I 8 and I9 while being clamped togetherwill also be maintained in perfect per-' forate alignment. Removal ofthe device from the work is effected by again applying pressure on theunderside of the plate I2 and on the head l5 of the rod H by compressingthe spring 26 as shown in Fig. 2, thereafter enabling slight lateralmotion of the rod relative to the work and removal of the projection 2|from the work.

With reference to Fig. 7, it is obvious that the modified constructionshown therein can be applied to or removed from the work in the samemanner as above described in connection with the construction shown inFig. 1.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be 'understood that the makingof the channel shaped member ID is relatively an inexpensive operationresulting in a construction wherein the rod carrying member is open onthree sides to enable replacement of the washer 23 upon compression ofthe spring 26 against the head l5 of the rod I4, a feature which hasbeen found advantageous especially in fasteners wherein the crosssection of the reduced portion l6 of the rod l4 and the cross section ofthe finger 24 are necessarily very small and delicate.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter, in order to completely set forth the invention, it is to beunderstand that the specific terminology is not intended to berestrictive or confining and it is to be further understood that variousrearrangements of parts and modifications of structural detail may beresorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the inventionas herein claimed.

I claim:

1. A fastener for temporarily holding together at least two perforatedsheets, including a channel shaped member having one of its side wallsadapted to rest on the upper sheet, a rod slidable through said sidewall, a lateral projection on said rod, said projection being insertablethrough aligned perforations in said sheets for engagement with theunderside of the lower sheet, and

- a spring active between said member and rod for being insertablethrough aligned perforations in said sheets for engagement of saidprojection with the underside of the lower sheet, and a spring activebetween said member and rod for clamping the sheets between said memberand projection.

3. A fastener for temporarily holding together at least two perforatedsheets, including a channel shaped member having one of its side wallsadapted to rest on the upper sheet, a rod slidable through said sidewall, a lateral projection on said rod below said side wall, a fingerdepending from said side wall extending along said rod toward saidprojection, said projection and finger being insertable through alignedperforations in said sheets for engagement of saidprojection with theunderside of the lower sheet and for maintaining said perforations inalignment, and a spring active between said member and rod for clampingthe sheets between said side wall and projection.

4. A fastener for temporarily holding together at least two perforatedsheets, including a channel shaped member having one of its side wallsadapted to rest on the upper sheet, a rod slidable through said sidewall, an integral head on one end portion of said rod, a lateralprojection on the other end portion of said rod, a washer on said sidewall formed with a finger extending there through along said rod towardsaid projection, said last end portion of said rod and said finger beinginsertable through aligned perforations in said sheets for engagement ofsaid projection with the underside of the lower sheet and formaintaining said perforations in alignment, and a spring active betweenthe head of said rod and said washer for clamping the sheets betweensaid member and projection, said spring being capable of deflection toenable replacement of said washer via the opening between the side wallsof said member.

5. A fastener including a rod having a lateral projection on one endportion thereof, a lower plate transversally of said rod slidablerelative thereto substantially up to said projection, a spring activebetween said rod and plate for constantly urging said plate toward saidprojection, an upper plate transversally of said rod, a rigid connectionbetween said plates extending longitudinally on one side of said rod,said upper plate and the other end portion of said rod being adapted toreceive the jaws of a plierlike tool for compressing said spring andeffecting longitudinal movement of said lower plate away from saidprojection.

6. A fastener including a rod having a lateral projection on one endportion thereof, a lower plate transversally of said rod slidablerelative thereto substantially up to said projection, a washer on saidplate having a finger extending through said plate along-said rod, aspring active between said rod and washer for constantly urging saidplate toward said projection, an upper plate transversally of said rodlongitudinally spaced from said lower plate an extent greater than thelength of said finger, and a rigid connection between said platesextending longitudinally on one side of said rod, said spring beingcapable of sufllcient compression to enable replacement of said washervia the opening between said plate.

EARL B. LEAR.

